“Not today, buddy.”

Elsie came out after him in her socks, one with a yellow duck and one with blue stripes, and she walked right up to me and pressed her forehead against my leg.

I cupped the back of her head the way Dr.

Henderson had shown me after a treatment, counted to five, and let go.

“Two sleeps,” I said.

“Then pancakes with the syrup you love.”

Delaney came to the door with a pen already in her hand and signed the deputy’s equipment sheet against the door frame.